Adjectives
Lesson plans and learning activities

Action Is Character: Exploring Character Traits with Adjectives
By "becoming" a character in a novel they have read and making lists from that character's perspective, students analyze the character while also enriching their vocabulary. Students gain a deeper understanding of a character by creating charts linking the character's actions with the character's traits. They explore adjectives through a variety of resources. They then use their analysis of the character and their knowledge of adjectives to create descriptive lists of their own three other characters from the novel. The worksheet instructions in the lesson use
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
as an example, but this activity is effective with any work of literature in which characterization is important. Designed for grades 6-8; includes links to printable handouts and related sites.

Adjectives Around Us
Elementary students describe photographs using adjectives and create a photo story book to display their work.

Adjectives in a Bag
During this hands-on lesson, students learn to describe unknown objects by using adjectives. Students practice using adjectives by exploring an Internet site.

Adjective Monster
This lesson explores the connections between visual art and language arts, and how both are used to creatively tell stories and express emotions. Students will read the book
Go Away Big Green Monster
by Ed Emberley. They will be introduced to adjectives as descriptive words, and then create their own monsters using paper sculpture techniques.

Animal Adjectives
Students will describe animals as they review nouns and verbs associated with these animals. They will learn to use adjectives as they describe the animals. They will use this knowledge to write their stories about animals. This lesson uses Jan Brett's book
The Mitten
and is designed for first grade.

Chalking Points -
Less
and
Fewer
This downloadable YouTube video (2:47) explains mass nouns and count nouns as indicators for use of
less
and
fewer
. Engaging for middle school and older. Includes advertising at the end.

Delicious, Tasty, Yummy: Enriching Writing with Adjectives and Synonyms
Students' vocabulary is expanded and their writing is enriched when they are encouraged to use a variety of adjectives to help readers "see, taste, and feel" what they've written. In this lesson for grades 3 and 4, picture books are used as a springboard for helping students define, identify, and practice using adjectives and synonyms. They develop webbed lists and then put their new vocabulary skills to use by writing form poems. This lesson is designed for grades 3-5.

"I Spy:" Using Adjectives and Descriptive Phrases
Students will review definitions for adjectives, learn and practice sensory adjectives and imagery, and use adjectives and descriptive phrases in writing a paragraph and/or story. This lesson is designed for grades 3 and 4.

Many Luscious Lollipops
Kindergarten and first grade students will become familiar with adjectives by reading Ruth Heller's book
Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives
. They will also be able to use adjectives to describe an object in their own writing.

Yummy Adjectives
Students work in pairs to take a taste and touch test. They brainstorm and record their descriptive adjectives used to describe the food and knick-knacks on handout. Scroll to the bottom for handouts, including a rubric.